Design Students’ Exhibition Addresses Microaggressions on Campus

Junior communications design majors in the College of Visual and Performing Art’s School of Design have ventured to solve the subtle issues involved with microaggressions as perceived on campus through the exhibition “Microaggressions: Ignorance Does Not Equal Bliss,” part of this semester’s CMD 351 Problem Solving Strategies course.

Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal and environmental slights, snubs or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.

Six CMD 351 teams have created a scale model exhibition consisting of six categories: color, ethnicity, disability, religion, gender and sexual orientation. Each team has modeled a themed room and a separate digital experience. Every student also designed a poster.

The University community is invited to “walk” through the exhibition and be part of the solution. The exhibition is currently on display in the lobby of the Nancy Cantor Warehouse at 350 W. Fayette St. through Dec. 14. The Warehouse lobby is open Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Communications designers translate ideas and information through a variety of media. The School of Design’s communications design program leads to a bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree. Classes are modeled on professional practice, and students develop the ability to solve real-world problems along with a variety of skills in graphic media.

For an accommodations request, or questions about the exhibition, contact Professor Robert Cooney at racooney@syr.edu or 315.443.2455.

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